1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for a front portion of a vehicle suitable for a small vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a conventional front portion of a vehicle. In a vehicle such as an electric car or a midship engine or rear-engine car in which an internal combustion engine is installed at a midship or rear portion thereof, auxiliary machines are often installed in a front portion of the vehicle 100. The auxiliary machines include an air conditioner compressor 101, an air conditioner inverter 102, a battery 103, an ABS (anti-locking brake system) unit 104 or the like.
In a known structure, as shown in the figure, the aforesaid auxiliary machines of the vehicle are mounted at front portions of the left and right side frames 106, 107.
In addition, reference numeral 110 denotes a bumper beam, 111, 111, front wheels and 112, a steering wheel.
In FIG. 7, reference numeral 113, 113 denotes an impact absorption beam. These impact absorption beams 113, 113 are provided at the front portions of the side frames 106, 107. In other words, the impact absorption beams 113, 113 are connected to the bumper beam 110 at front ends thereof so that the impact absorption beams 113, 113 can absorb a great external force applied to the bumper beam 110. In the figure, N1 denotes the length of a nose of the vehicle.
Recently, there is a tendency to increase the performances and capacities of the aforesaid auxiliary machines of the vehicle in order to improve the comfort inside the passenger compartment and handling properties of the vehicle. As the capacities of the auxiliary machines are increased, the sizes thereof also get larger, resulting in the increase in length N1 of the nose.
On the other hand, in a small vehicle, since the overall length thereof is limited, if the nose length N1 is increased, the length of the passenger compartment has to be reduced or a luggage compartment at the rear of the vehicle has to be made smaller, this leaving a problem in designing a vehicle.
An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for a front portion of a vehicle which can reduce further the nose length thereof.
According to the invention a front portion has a ladder type frame installed on left and right side frames arranged longitudinally of a vehicle at a position a predetermined distance rearward from front tips of said side frames and forward of a dash panel in such a manner as to extend between said left and right side frames, and auxiliary machines of said vehicle are supported on the ladder type frame.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.